Container



April 15, 1969 CONNOR ET AL 3,438,562

CONTAINER Filed Oct. 25, 1967 INVENTORS Mum 6. (av/me M146 J4. 001 6 BYan 4w l-T 14 2/64)" @420 5. 5mm- United States Patent 3,438,562CONTAINER William G. Connor, Bellevue, Donald F. Wright, Seattle, andDouglas J. A. Dove, Edmonds, Wash., assignors to Inter Store TransferSpecialists Inc., Edmonds, Wash., a corporation of Washington Filed Oct.25, 1967, Ser. No. 677,929 Int. C]. 1365:! /56, 5/58, 25/14, 5/62, 5/36,45/00 US. Cl. 229-14 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A container hasas main components a partially collapsible box and a collapsible linerthat may be fitted into said box in both the collapsed and extendedposition. A telescopic lid closes the box in its extended and linedcondition, as well as in its collapsed condition.

Background This invention particularly pertains to containers forrepeated uses in the transport of goods in an extended or expandedcondition and collapsible to a compact condition for return shipment orfor storage. An important object has been the provision of a containerwhich is constructed and modularly arranged to be readily assembled to asetup condition from a compacted storage condition; not requiring greatskill; and without requiring tools or fastening devices. Still anotherobject is to provide a collapsible-expandable carton or containeradapted to conventional manufacturing techniques and which has enhancedthe durability and strength. A further object has been to provide areuseable container, the components of which, in a collapsed condition,occupy a minimum of space but which, upon erection, supplies anenclosure for a substantial amount of goods to be contained therein,which enclosure is strong, durable and may be easily sealed and madetamper-proof when the container is closed on the goods.

Drawings FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the container collapsed;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary section of the collapsed container;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded perspective view of the container extended;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the erected and assembled container;and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the container sealing means.

Description This container in the main comprises a box 10, a liner 30and a lid 50.

Preferably these three components are formed of corrugated board,fabricated from paper stock. It will be obvious that the variouselements of the container may be formed from numerous types of sheet orpanel stock such, for example, as cardboard, plywood, hardboard and thelike. The nature of the use to which such containers are put, theeconomics of the matter, and similar considerations will largely dictatethe choice of the base material employed. The description of thisinvention as manufactured from corrugated board stock is purelyexemplary.

Box includes bottom or panel 11, opposed sides or walls 12 and 13 andopposed ends or walls 14 and 15. The bottom 11, manufactured in aconventional manner, and walls 12, 13, 14 and 15 are integrated, bybeing joined above the corners of bottom 11 into a non-collapsible3,438,562 Patented Apr. 15, 1969 box. Walls 12-14 rise a nominal heightC above bottom 11. Preferably the ends 14 and 15 have flaps 16 which arefolded around the box corners and stapled or glued in overlappingrelation to adjacent portions of the sides 12 and 13, as shown in FIGURE3. Hingedly joined by folds to side panels 12-13 and end panels 14 and15 are, respectively, upright folding sides 17 and 18 and uprightfolding ends 19 and 20. Bottom 11 is shown in FIGURE 2 as comprisingoverlapped and secured together end and side flaps 21 and 22,respectively.

The end panels 19 and 20 may have hand holes 23 to facilitate carryingthe container. The side panels 17 and 18 may have perforations 24 toreceive a sealing strap or other securing band 25 as will be describedbelow.

Liner is bottomless and topless and is collapsible and comprises sidewalls 31 and 32 and end walls 33 and 34. The end edges of the side walls31, 32 are hingedly joined at 35 to the side edges of the end walls 33,34, as shown in FIGURE 3. Normally walls 31-34 are manufactured from asingle board by cutting and scoring to form hinged lines joining thewalls in the manner described. End walls 33 and 34 are medially scoredat 36 and pleated so that they may be infolded when the liner 30 iscollapsed, as it may be seen in FIGURE 3. Near the upper edges of sidewalls 31 and 32 are openings 38 located to match or align with openings24 to receive a strap or band 25. In the preferred embodiment describedliner 30 is manufactured from corrugated board, although, as stated, awide variety of panels or boards may be used. The joint between walls 32and 33 are shown joined by tape 39 to form the hinge at that point.

The lid is desirably a panel 52 having depending marginal-flange ends 54and sides 55 having a vertical height approximating the height of walls1214. Lid 50 is strengthened and rigidified by infolded flaps 56 as maybe seen in FIGURES 2 and 4. In locations matching holes 24 and 38, lid50 likewise has holes 58 in the side flanges 55. In addition, lid panel2 has holes 9 adjacent holes 58.

When the container is assembled so that the liner 30 is extended andplaced within the upstanding folding side 17, 18, its sidewalls areclosely juxtaposed to the inside of box 10. At such time the hinges 36between the parts of end walls 33, 34 are flattened, these walls areinteriorly juxtaposed to the upstanding folding ends 19, 20. In this waythe box parts are held open to receive or discharge goods. The lid 50 isfitted thereover to close the box and at the same time enclose andcontain the upper edges of folding ends and sides 1215, as may be seenin FIGURE 4. At such time a band 25 may be passed through aligned holes58. 38 and 24 and adjacent hole 58, as shown in FIGURE 5. The ends ofband 25 may be then secured by a tamper-proof clip 60 to effectivelyseal the lid to the box and the liner.

The container in collapsed and compacted condition, desirable when beingmoved empty or during storage, is shown in FIGURE 1. The liner 30 iscollapsed by having its end walls infolded between side walls 31, 32 andis placed within the box 10. Then the folding ends 19, 20 and sides 17,18 of the box are down folded and overlapped above the collapsed liner.Then the lid 50 is telescoped over the closed down box 10 and theseveral elements are in a condition to move as a compact unit.

It is desirable that modular relations as to size be observed. Let usassume the width of box 10 is module A and its length is module B. It isthen desirable that the height C and length D of the liner be no greaterand, preferably, slightly less than the horizontal dimensions of thespace enclosed by box walls 1215. In this way liner 30 may easily beplaced in its collapsed condition in box 10. At the same time, theupright dimensions E of walls 12-15, plus height F of folding sides andends 17- 20 should be substantially the same as height module C of theliner. This insures that the upper edges of the liner and of sides andends 1720 are coincident when erected. Thus, a lid 50 telescopedthereover is supported by all these juxtaposed elements. Thisarrangement insures that when box is collapsed, its folding sides andends will fold down flat within the dimensions of bottom 11 as can beseen in FIGURE 1.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes andalterations as to the choice of materials from which this container maybe manufactured and as to the choice of modular dimensions that are tobe employed will be desirable under varying circumstances of economy,usage and the like.

All such which fall within the spirit of this invention as defined inthe subjoined claims, having due regard for a liberal application of thedoctrine of equivalents, are intended to be covered by this patent. Inthe foregoing description a preferred embodiment has been described. Itis intended that the invention not be limited specifically thereto as itshould be very apparent that various substitutions of size, fasteningmeans and materials may more suitably meet and solve a particularshipping problem.

What is claimed is:

1. A container for use in an expanded condition for the storage andtransport of objects and adapted to be collapsed for intermediateperiods of nonuse to a condition materially less bulky than whenexpanded, comprising:

panel means forming a non-collapsible box having a bottom and integralupright opposed sides and opposed ends rising thereabove a uniformheight;

a right rectangular, topless and bottomless, collapsible liner member ofa size to stand on said bottom in close juxtaposition within and risingabove the space enclosed by said upright ends and sides of said box,said liner member being vformed of hingedly joined end and side panels;

the height of said liner member being no greater than the space betweensaid opposed upright sides;

each of said ends and each of said sides having a wall panel hingedlyjoined thereto at its upper edge and extending upward therefrom a heightsubstantially equal to the height of the collapsible liner;

a lid having depending marginal flanges and being of a size to closelytelescope over the erect wall panels and the enclosed liner member tobear thereon and to close said container; and

said liner member including means adapting it to be collapsed to a sizeno greater than said bottom.

2. The structure according to claim 1 in which the lid and at least anopposed pair of upstanding walls have registering openings to receivecontainer seal means.

3. The structure according to claim 1 in which the end panels of thecollapsible liner have opposed infolding accordion-like ends.

4. The structure according to claim 3 in which those walls juxtaposed tothe accordion-like ends have hand holes permitting the introduction of apersons fingers.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 657,197 9/1900 Hills 229412,766,921 10/1956 Jones et al. 229-14 DAVID M. BOCKENEK, PrimaryExaminer.

US. Cl. X.R. 229-41, 45

